Yes, we would say that solar panels are most definitely worth the investment. Over 1.7m homes in the UK have solar panels so they remain a hugely popular choice for those seeking to reduce their energy bills, reduce their emissions, and generate additional income from the Grid using clean, renewable electricity.
The reason they’re becoming ever more popular is in part due to the cost of panels reducing considerably over the last decade and an established supply chain making it quicker and easier to have them installed. What’s also helping homeowners is being able to understand the benefits confidently, which are becoming easier to calculate using online tools.
Let’s take a quick look at the ten reasons solar panels are worth installing:
1. Reduce your energy bills – solar photovoltaic (PV) panels generate clean, green and free electricity. They will reduce your energy bills by offsetting the need to draw in energy from the Grid
2. Earn money by exporting electricity – get the right tariff, and you can earn money (in terms of further reductions off your bill) by selling the excess energy you generate back to the Grid. There are plenty of tariffs available that add value to your PV system
3. Reduce your emissions – every kWh of electricity you buy from the Grid comes with a carbon impact. By generating energy renewably, you’re effectively eliminating these emissions from your carbon footprint
4. Protect yourself from price rises – the electricity you generate is free so as Grid prices rise, you’re insulating yourself from those changes
5. Improve EPC and increase the value of your home – solar PV improves your EPC rating and demonstrates that your home will have lower running costs. This can translate into a higher property value, further improving your return on investment
6. Complementary solution with other technologies – PV is a great pairing with other technologies such as heat pumps and batteries. Combining technologies adds value, with one reducing the running costs of another. It’s a win-win
7. Protect yourself from power cuts – if you’re pairing PV with a battery and include home islanding kit, then in the event of a power cut you’ll be the envy of your neighbours by still having all the electricity you need!
8. Really low maintenance – of all renewable energy generation technologies, PV has the lowest maintenance costs. With no moving parts, there is very little to go wrong
9. Simple to install – the installation process typically takes no more than a day or two. It’s likely to need scaffolding, so bear that in mind, and you’ll have workmen in and out of your home for a few hours, but that’s a small price to pay for 25 years of benefits
10. Benefit your local community – every time you install green tech using Thermly, we add £50 to our Community Impact Fund. This is then distributed as grants to charities and organisations in the local community, so you’re helping everyone else too
The amount you save will depend on the size of the system. To give you an idea, six solar panels, each generating 400W, will provide 2.4kW at full capacity. Over the course of a year, this would generate around 2,160kWh on average, depending on where you are in the UK. Being further south does, in this case, really help! If you’re paying 25p per kWh from your energy supplier and you use all the energy at home, then the calculated savings are £540 per year.
Some people just don’t like the look of solar panels, but they’re increasingly fewer and further between as more people have them installed and they become accepted more widely. There are some occasions, of course, where solar PV is just not going to be an option for homeowners: most apartment buildings, conservation areas and listed buildings, weak roofs etc. The fact is that, for many, they are a fantastic, proven technology and every household with enough available and structurally sound roof space could benefit from having solar installed (although, if every household suddenly DID decide to get them, the local electricity distribution network may panic!) – but for the foreseeable future very, very few households in the UK would face any objection.
To sum up simply, solar panels work. They just do.
They save you money, and they’ll continue to save you money for the next 25 years. They need minimal maintenance and they reduce your environmental impact. They’re straightforward to install and your Thermly installer will be able to provide all the detail you need during the survey. There are so many reasons – and we’ve explained these above – that we hope you’re now convinced they’re the right way forward.
Our short Heat Pump Readiness Assessment is free, and only takes a few minutes. Sometimes a bit longer with a cup of tea...
